Another Luas strike is underway in Dublin

Luas workers are being urged to come up with a new pay claim this weekend.

Another 48 hour strike is underway in the capital in the long running dispute between Transdev and its employees.

Management have said they are open to a new pay proposal for drivers - as long as it is reasonable - after the most recent deal at the Workplace Relations Commission was rejected by them.

Fianna Fail's Transport spokesperson Timmy Dooley has said a task force should be established to bring about a resolution: “I fully accept the right of workers to strike, but I fail to see how the action is going to assist their case.

“I think the travelling public have lost respect to a great extent, at this stage and we do now need to see a greater level of engagement between the workers and the management at Transdev.”

Fears are also being raised about the impact of the strike on businesses in the capital.

Transdev says each day of action costs the company alone €100,000.

While Mark Gleeson of Rail Users Ireland has said he fears it will have a knock on effect on jobs: “Passengers are increasingly frustrated, here we find ourselves on a weekend again,

“Saturday is almost as busy as a Monday so any suggestion from the striking parties that this is not going to impact people is quite the opposite it is going to significantly impact people going about their business.”

Independent TD Mattie McGrath has been accused of misogyny after saying that the abortion debate isn't over until the fat lady sings, before quipping "and I'm not talking about the chairperson of the Committee or anyone like that".